Cutting steel with an air plasma is two processes, exothermic oxidation of the steel (like an oxy-fuel torch) combined with the high temperature thermal (melting) process of the 25,000 degree plasma jet. Steel cuts best with an air plasma.

Cutting stainless is single part: Thermal cutting. In order to get the edge angularity as good as possible and to minimize edge roughness...the torch needs to run close and fast. To do the best job on thin stainless you need a highly responsive height control, FineCut consumables and a machine that has excellent acceleration and high cutting speeds.

I have been trying to get my machine dialed in to cut some 18ga stainless. I have tried some simple small flanges with bolt holes on some scrap to see how it would perform. I have adjusted the acceleration settings in Mach3 and my machine is now running pretty well at 300 plus IPM. Your post above recommends running FineCut consumables. Several years ago I remember reading a post you had about FineCut consumables, and I think you told me to use FineCut nozzles with the standard shielding cap. For stainless is it better to run the standard shielding cap or the one made for FineCut nozzles?